First Impressions / Hakuouki

Hakuouki Hekketsuroku – 14, 15

「蹉跌の回廊」 (Satetsu no Kairou)
“The Cloister of Failure”

While I originally planned to go with a short manga-style post with a handful of screen caps using the filmstrip layout, I had taken so many after watching these two episodes that arranging them nicely would’ve been more work than just going with the usual format. If I continue taking so many caps, I’ll likely be sticking with this going forward as I cover this series on a bi-weekly basis. If nothing else, the latter gives subs a chance to catch up so that people will actually read my posts. 🙂

First Impressions / Hyakka Ryouran Samurai Girls

Hyakka Ryouran Samurai Girls – 03

「剣姫（マスターサムライ）の正体」 (Tsurugi Hime (Masutaa Samurai) no Shoutai)
“The Sword Princess’ (Master Samurai) True Identity”

Seeing as all the female characters have yet to be introduced, I haven’t even considered comparing the ones seen thus far. However, if I were to make an early pick, Sen would be my favorite at the moment with that feisty tsundere-like attitude of hers.

First Impressions / Shinryaku! Ika Musume

Shinryaku! Ika Musume – 03

BEHOLD! The true power of Ika Musume unleashed!
Question is, can she really swim without her tentacles?

「怖くなイカ？／天敵じゃなイカ？／新入りじゃなイカ？」
(Kowakunai ka? / Tenteki Janai ka? / Shiniri Janai ka?)
“Aren’t You Afraid? / Isn’t That My Natural Enemy? / Aren’t You The Newcomer?”

In case I haven’t made it clear enough from the Fall 2010 Preview and my posts on the first two episodes, I love this series. It’s not often you can find a cute, lighthearted comedy with a naive squid girl who absolutely steals the show. From ghosts, to killer whales, to the new part-timer at Lemon, this most recent episode delivered a bundle of laughs that left me eagerly anticipating more.

First Impressions / Yosuga no Sora

Yosuga no Sora – 03

「ツカズハナレズ」 (Tsukazu Hanarezu)
“Indecision”

Despite the beach portion of this episode, I couldn’t help but feel that the entire thing had a very somber mood to it. It all started with Kazuha revealing that Akira is the illegitimate child of her father, putting a very literally meaning on the “big sister” conversation Haru overheard last time.

First Impressions / Super Robot Wars OG

Super Robot Wars OG: The Inspector – 03

「背負った十字」 (Seotta Juuji)
“The Burdened Cross”

The Hagane battleship captained by Daitetsu Minase (Shibata Hidekatsu) and vice-captained Tetsuya Onodera (Horikawa Jin) arrives on the scene, and with it the SRX team as well. The Choukijin that came and gone have become the focus of Bullet’s investigation, while the subtle reintroduction of Kusuha Mizuha in his prized photograph sort of foreshadows what will come from them.

First Impressions / Ore no Imouto ga Konnani Kawaii Wake ga Nai

Ore no Imouto ga Konnani Kawaii Wake ga Nai – 03

Everyone’s probably thinking it, so I’ll just say it. “Moeeeeee~”

「俺の妹がこんなに可愛いわけがない」 (Ore no Imouto ga Konnani Kawaii Wake ga Nai)
“There’s No Way My Little Sister is That Cute”

A mix of heartfelt drama and the usual comedic flair makes this week’s episode of Oreimo one to remember. I still found it a bit cheesy with the way Kyousuke “put his life on the line” to defend Kirino’s unusual hobby in the face of their no-nonsense father, but the end result that shows exactly where the title of this series comes from was so sweet. It was quite possibly the ultimate “dere to the tsundere” moment of the year.

First Impressions / Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt

Panty & Stocking with Garterbelt – 03

「キャットファイト・クラブ」 (Kyattofaito Kurabu)
“Catfight Club”

A little disappointed after the last bundle of episodes, seeing the title “Catfight Club” on a bar of soap gave me some surprise, never thinking I would ever see such a blatant reference to Fight Club in an anime.